Speed limit signs missing on south Memorial Parkway

View full sizeThe missing speed limit signs on Memorial Parkway are not related to the construction of the Parkway overpass at Whitesburg Drive and Weatherly Road, shown here in a Dec. 10, 2009 file photo. (The Huntsville Times/Dave Dieter)

Michelle Best asked by email why there are no speed limit signs northbound on the Parkway from north of the new Weatherly Road and Whitesburg Drive overpass to the first overpass north of Martin Road.

Construction of the new overpass is finished but the speed limit signs have not been installed, she said. If the speed limit signs are missing, it's not related to the overpass construction that was completed in early 2010.

The signs were most likely removed for the recent repaving of Memorial Parkway from Logan Drive to north of Martin Road. Construction zone speed limit signs were erected when the repaving began and were removed last month when the work was completed.

Johnny Harris, the Alabama Department of Transportation's engineer for most of North Alabama, said DOT traffic engineers will look into it and the speed limit signs should be back in place soon. The speed limit on that stretch of the Parkway is 50 mph, he said.

Wall Triana rail crossing

Here's some good news - a project was completed ahead of time instead of late.

The planned closing of Wall Triana Highway at the railroad tracks south of Interstate 565 this weekend has been canceled. The reason - work to replace the railroad tracks was completed last weekend.

Reed Contracting Services had planned to close the road in one direction each weekend to replace the tracks but finished the entire project last weekend, officials with the Huntsville-Madison County Airport Authority said. The airport owns the tracks.

The company replaced the tracks and concrete panels next to the tracks, and applied new asphalt for about 10 feet on each side of the tracks to give motorists a smoother crossing.

I-565 trash

There seems to be a lot of trash in the Interstate 565 median between Huntsville International Airport and the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.

Donnie Freeman pointed that out in an email and asked who is responsible for picking up trash on I-565. "This is the main route that most first-time visitors use," Freeman said. "It doesn't leave them with a very good impression of Huntsville."

The state DOT is responsible for collecting trash, mowing the median and shoulders, filling potholes and cleaning ditches on I-565, the DOT's Harris said.

He said the DOT district's office in Huntsville can't pick up every piece of trash but does make a trash sweep as needed. Harris said he would tell the district office to monitor the situation between the airport and the Space Center.

The DOT will use state inmates to clean the interstate of trash when it can, but it's difficult to get an inmate trash detail because of the demand from area counties and cities for inmate labor, Harris said.

To leave a comment or question about traffic or roads, contact Keith Clines at 256-532-4236, email keith.clines@htimes.com, tweet @KeithClines or fax 256-532-4420. Please include your name, address and a way you can be contacted.